Fleety12

We moved to Canada 10 years ago this year. We arrived as a family of 6, with two dogs and four cats. I will be returning with 2 kids and a new cat and new dog.

It's been an interesting time and on the whole a pleasant adventure but i've felt the need to return for quite a few years. With having four kids I felt I needed to stay to get them all through high school. Next spring my oldest graduates uni and my youngest finishes high school. My oldest son will stay in Canada for a few years and then hopes to move to the US or Aus. Both my daughters are planning on moving to the UK next year. My second son died 3 years ago and the impact of that on my already rocky marriage wasn't good. My husband will stay in Canada.

So honestly it's all very scary, i've been with my husband 29 years and will be doing this move pretty much myself. I won't be able to move back to where we once lived as it's too expensive. My mum is alive but i don't like where she lives so I don't want to live around there either! So I feel super stressed about making a decision on where to live. My daughters want to live around Bristol and it would be handy that there is a uni there too for when they later go, but i've never been to Bristol!

I will rent initially to try to get some bearings and see what works for us.

Has anyone else been somewhat in my situation where you feel you're just taking a huge leap of faith and are terrified that you are going to totally fall flat on your face?

We do all have Canadian citizenship so I know that we can always head back if we suddenly decide UK is not what we were hoping for.

Anyway enough of my rambling.

verystormy

moi

Hi Fleety12,
I just wanted to say I am very sorry to hear about the loss of your son. I was also wondering if due to this huge loss is what is actually making you want to possibly leave Canada? Parents that have lost children say that you never really get over it, but just try to live with it. I am originally from Yorkshire and there are a lot of towns/cities in Yorkshire that offer a lot, with cheaper prices than the south.

Fleety12

Thank you. Yes my son's death has obviously changed my whole perspective on life and has altered my life and the rest of my family. I have always thought i'd return one day, even from when we first moved here. With my daughters both planning on moving back and my son moving away from here I just feel there isn't anything holding me here anymore. My mum is getting older and it would be nice to be able to spend some time with her too and see my brothers young children more often, they live in Ireland. I lived in Surrey/Hampshire all my life before our move here and won't be able to return there, so yes i'm looking at more midlands/north.

getoutofbritainquick

We are planning to move back to the UK from Canada when are youngest completes High School. Our daugter will hopefully complete Uni in Canada. We have 2 children, 4 cats and a rabbit and will be looking to retire in either Cornwall or Devon - if the country is not in civil war! We were originally from Kent and have family in Devon. Its a beautiful part of the UK and we dont think we could retire back to where we used to live despite having many firends there.

Fleety12

I like the sound of Devon actually, Dorset really calls to me but my daughters aren't so keen. Hopefully renting a while and travelling around will help us choose somewhere.

I see you are also on the island!

getoutofbritainquick

Yes we are very disappointed with the Island. Dreadful out of control development, mobster mayor that you cannot reason with or get rid of through the voting system. 26000 voters and he always gets in unopposed with around 3500, same with the council who normally get in with around 2000 or less votes (there is never anyone else to vote for). They have dug up virtually the whole of the municipality and it looks awful. The same goes for the rest of the Victoria area. We have just had enough of a 'third world' culture if you can call it that. The cost of living is out of control and I don't see a great future for our children here. Go back 12 years and BC was livable and affordable but no longer. Its just not worth what you pay for everything.
We prefer Devon or Cornwall to Dorset because it's fundamentally cheaper than Dorset. Dorset is within commuter distance of London which you pay a premium for. We know the area very well and have family living in Plymouth. As soon as our son finishes High School we are out of here.

kevntrace

It's interesting that folks generally recommend not to move back to your old haunts when returning to Blighty, then seeing your discussion on Devon and Plymouth. Well that is exactly where I am from (at least I was there from the age of 9 until going to college, so it's where I consider "home"). I've been in the USA since 1994, but always take a trip back to Plymouth every summer. You're right, Devon is a beautiful part of the country.
If I were to move back now and look for work, I would probably consider Bristol. Not too far away from Devon, but also close enough to London that you could visit by train when needed (assuming the job would not require it every day).
You could also consider Cardiff - not far away from Bristol and maybe a little cheaper cost of living.

If I were to move back and not work (or not worry about working in IT), then I would probably stick with Devon.

However my daughter will enter high school this coming summer, so not even considering moving back until she finishes her education.

jimmydean

Almost exactly same position as you but from the other coast. We moved to NS in 2011, eldest daughter in Uni her, youngest has last 2 years at High School but we have decided to move back to UK in 2021 when she gets to Uni (either in Canada or UK) We have only been back to UK a couple of times each since we came and have spent a lot of time exploring North America over the last 8 years. Reasons: Several of our parents have died in UK since we moved to Canada,Only grandson lives in UK, (plus other older children) Think we will go back with suitcases only (with a dog) and are contemplating whether we should go back to same area we left or new area in UK. People in Nova Scotia are very friendly, we have enjoyed our time here....... the third world comment you made caught me eye... and its taken us 8 years to realise Canada will never be 'home'